EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 



quently hanging to the branches of the trees ; for v/hen 

 fo employed^ it ferves the animal as a fifth hmb. Mofl 

 wonderful is the agility of thefc monkies in fwinging 

 from one tree to another, but I never faw them leap. 

 Their throwing iliort fticks and excrements feems to be 

 no more than a mimicking of the human adlions 

 without any purpofe, as they neither have ftrength to 

 throw far, nor dexterity to hit their objecSls, and if they 

 befoul them it is by accident only. But what appears 

 peculiarly remarkable is, that when one is hurt by a 

 mufket or arrow, the poor animal inftantly claps its hand 

 on the wound, looks at the blood, and with the moft 

 piteous lamentations afcends to the very top of the tree, 

 in which he is affifted by his companions ; where, hang- 

 ing by the tail, he continvies to bewail his fate, till by the 

 lofs of blood he grows totally faint, and drops down dead 

 at the feet of his adverfaries. - ; 



It is not fo extraordinary that one of this fpecies, when 

 wounded, fhould be affifted by his companions in climb- 

 ing ; but that they fliould have fo much knowledge in 

 botany, as to procure vulnerary herbs, and chew and 

 apply them to the wound, is what I cannot credit, though 

 it is fo confidently alTerted by a late traveller : and as to 

 the affiftance they give in paffing a river, by holding each 

 other's tails, and fwinging till the lowermoft is thrown 

 up to the branch of a high tree, though I have a great 

 opinion of Uiloaj who relates it, and has given a X3rint of 



C 2 it 



